Saturday, November 14, 2015

Pray for Paris

I am working on several blog posts including the one from my recent trip to Dublin, but I feel that it is
necessary to take some time to talk about the terrorist attacks last night in
Paris. I was out with friends when one of them checked her phone and saw the
news updates. At that moment it was hard to comprehend the magnitude of what
was happening it was also very difficult knowing that I have friends in and
around Paris with no way to contact them. I did what I always like to do in
these situations, ignore it until I can sit down and read about it and process
the information in a logical way. I got home at 5am and sat in my room, stunned
at what I saw. I quickly responded to the various messages from family members,
because it is very like me to travel without announcing to the world where I'm
going until I'm there. At one point in the semester I actually was planning on
going to France this weekend but it didn't work out. I quickly scanned
Facebook, checking up on everyone I know in France, Paris or not. I read a few
news updates and felt sick to my stomach, both at the terrifying events and at
how people seemed to be having normal conversations about normal things as this
tragedy was playing out.

After a couple hours of sleep and some food and retail therapy I find myself
again reading about these events with two main feelings. The first is
frustration. This attack is terrifying, but so are all the other ISIS attacks,
so are all the Boko Haram attacks, so are North Korea's labor camps, so is the
refugee crisis, so are sweatshops. There are so many terrible abuses in the
world that we seem to overlook, even with how connected we are. I realize that
it's impossible to be on top of everything all the time and honestly that would
be exhausting, but it's frustrating to see some events more
"supported" than others. Regardless, the outpouring and concern is
amazing.

The other feeling is terror. I have said over and over that I feel safer here
than I do at home. I walk home alone at night all the time, not afraid of being
shot or stabbed. The most I have to put up with is occasional cat-calling and
the worst I have to worry about is someone taking my purse, not my life. Reading
the statements from ISIS is horrifying. I don't want to read them but ignoring
the graveness of this issue is not an option:

According to Buzzfeed, a recording was released by ISIS: “We want to tell
France and all of the countries who are the same as France, they are the target
and goal. The smell of death will never leave their noses because they
died for the campaign. They hated our Prophet Muhammad. We are happy about what
we did to the hostages. They hurt the land with their airplanes. These
bombings are the first step. It’s a warning for other countries who have the
same mindset of France.” and in a written statement said that France
would “remain on the top of the list of targets” and “This attack is
the first of the storm and a warning to those who wish to learn".

*Note: no, Islam does not condone killing/terrorism

It is both terrifying and incomprehensible to be that humans can be like this. What
kind of creatures are we? We are blessed with the beautiful and complex gifts
of knowledge and language and the ability to make forward thinking decisions
but we also are the only creatures who have wars and organized killings and
attacks like this? WHY? How is it possible for us to be so cruel? How is
it that we use our abilities for such atrocities? I can't understand. I can
look at it from an evolutionary perspective, from various sociological
perspectives and I've got nothing. What have we done?

Luckily, there is a silver lining in every cloud. One of my favorite quotes is
from Mr. Rogers:"My mother would say to me, 'Look
for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.' To this day,
especially in times of disaster, I remember my mother's words, and I am always
comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers — so many caring
people in this world." One of these goose-bumps inducing responses (in a
good way) is #PorteOuverte. The French used the hashtag on social media to let
stranded people in their area know that they could come seek shelter at their
house by sending them their address. Taxis also took people places for free, as
all public transportation was suspended. The good during these events gives me
faith in humanity.
So what does all of this mean for
me? Well the thought of traveling is terrifying right now, but so is living a
life in fear. We must be aware and we must be careful, but we cannot stop living
or they have already won.